Sectioned metal springboard



May 18, 1965 R. COOK SECTIONED METAL SPRINGBOARD Filed April 16, 1962 FIG 4 FIG 5 INVENTOR. RONALD COOK A T TOP/VEVS United States Patent 3,184,233 SECTIONED METAL PJGBOARD Ronaid (look, Miami, Fla, assignor to R. E. Scott, San Jose, Calif. Filed Apr. 16, 1962, er. No. 187,677 10 Claims. (Cl. 272-66) This invention relates to springboards, and has for one of its objects the provision of a metal springboard that is light in weight and that eliminates torque and twist when being used, and that also eliminates other failures in metal springboard structure due to concentrated stresses.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an elongated aluminum or aluminum alloy springboard that is of cellular construction having horizontal opposed top and bottom walls and vertical webs connecting said walls extending longitudinally of the board from end to end thereof, and the thicknesses of which top, bottom sidewalls and webs are so varied as to produce the optimum of strength and durability in a board having the desired flexibility.

In explanation of the above, it is common in metal springboards, or springboards of aluminum or aluminum alloy, to twist when the weight of the user is on the outer end, and the major part of his or her weight is at one side of a medial line extending longitudinally of the board, or when the thrust of the person diving from the outer end of the board is unequally distributed at opposite sides of such medial line. This twisting of the board is highly undesirable.

Also, in any diving board the board should fully recover after each deflection or flexing from the weight or thrust of a person on the outer end of the board, yet the board must have the desired spring to be satisfactory. Boards can be too stiff or too flexible. Standards for yieldability under use by persons of varying weights from the lightest weight users to the heaviest have been determined.

The structure hereafter disclosed provides a board that will not twist nor become permanently distorted or bent under the most severe usage by persons of all weights, and the flexibility of the board meets the most rigid requirements.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a springboard having the desired deflection under use and capable of withstanding maximum forces that may be applied thereto when in use and without twisting irrespective of unequal applications of such forces at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the board, and which board has many times the life of the conventional wooden springboards.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the unmounted board in which a portion of the top covering is removed.

FIG. 2 is an edge elevational view of the board of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the board, in which the weld points are indicated.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 but partially broken away to accommodate the view to the sheet.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the cap at the right-hand end of the board of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken transversely of the board through one of the webs showing a portion of one of the bottom closure strips in a position below the web at one side thereof preparatory to securing it to the flange of the web, and

in which the strips at the other flange are secured to the web.

In detail, the board illustrated comprises a pair of extruded, elongated sections generally designated 1, 2, that are preferably of aluminum or aluminum alloy. These sections extend the full length of the board and are identical in structure.

Sections 1 and 2, each partly broken away in FIG. 4, are of the same construction, each section having an elongated horizontal top wall 3 and two depending, opposed, sidewalls 4 and 5 of identical structure.

In giving dimensions, it is to be understood that the dimensions given are by way of illustration, and are not to be considered restrictive thereto. The dimensions given have proven to be satisfactory, but variations can be made therein with ut departing from the spirit of the invention.

As a practical example, the sections 1, 2 may each be anywhere from four to sixteen feet in length and in boards from four to and including twelve feet in length may be formed of two sections 1, 2, in side by side engaging relation, each of which is nine inches in width, thus providing an overall width of eighteen inches. Boards over twelve feet in length may have sections that are ten inches in width, or a total width of twenty inches.

Assuming the board illustrated is one in which each of the sections 1, 2 is nine inches in width, a plurality of spaced vertical webs 7 perpendicular to the upper wall 3 depend therefrom and are integral therewith. The spacing between adjacent webs 7 and from sidewalls 4, 5 may be about a quarter of the distance between walls 4, 5, where three ribs are used and each is formed with oppositely outwardly extending coplanar flanges 8 of equal width along the lower edge thereof extending the full length of the section, while the sidewalls 4, 5 have flanges 9, also extending the full length of the section and extending toward each other and toward the flanges 8 on the webs adjacent to each of said sidewalls.

The flange 9 on each sidewall may be substantially the same in width as the width of each of the flanges 8, and the space between each adjacent pair of opposedly directed flanges on sidewalls 4, 5 and webs 7, may be spaced apart a distance that is approximately equal to the overall width of the pair of flanges on each Web. Thus, as an example, if the combined width of the pair of flanges on each web is 1.500 inches, then the space between each adjacent pair of spaced flanges would be approximately 1.500 inches.

If the thickness of the upper wall 3 and each of the sidewalls 4, 5 is 0.115 inch, it is preferable that the thickness of each of the webs 7 be approximately 0.06 inch or approximately one-half the thickness of the top and sidewalls respectively, while the thickness of flanges 8 and 9 may be approximately 0.200 inch or thicker than the top and sidewalls.

In fabricating the board, the two sections 1, 2 are placed side by side so that one of their sidewalls are in engagement and the top walls 3 are coplanar, with the end edges of the sections even with each other. A continuous weld 11 connects the sections along the adjacent edges of the coplanar top walls 3, the upper corners along said adjacent edges being rounded or beveled to provide a substantially V surface for the weld.

The adjacent parallel oppositely facing edges of the coplanar flanges 8, 9 along the lower edges of the sidewalls 4, 5 and webs 7 are recessed to a vertical depth of say approximately 0.050 inch as at 12 (FIG. 6) and the closed inner end of each such recess is chamfered as at 13 to provide a beveled surface.

Horizontally extending bottom plates in the form of elongated strips 14 are adapted to be secured to adjacent pairs of opposedly extending webs for closing the lower: 7

side of the board, and for reinforcing the latter and to contribute to the desired characteristics of the board.

Each of the strips 14 may be approximately 0.10'inch in thickness, and each has an upstanding rib designated 15 spaced from each longitudinally extending edge of the strip a distance approximately equal to the horizontal depth of the ribs being of less thickness than the upper plate, and

said sections.

17 projects to opposite sides of each rib so that the strip 7 14 and the projecting lower end of head 17 provide the surfaces of a laterally opening channel 19 along each rib, the vertical width of each channel being substantially equal to the thickness of each flange 8, 9 along its outer edge.

These strips are installed by positioning the slanted upper surfaces 18 of heads 17 on each rib 15 against each adjacent oppositely extending pair of flanges andforcing the oppositely outwardly projecting lower ends of heads 17 past the flanges so that the flanges are in the channels 19, in which position the adjacent beveled surfaces 132, 16

form inverted V-shaped recesses for Welding the strips to V welds between the flanges and the strips 14'while the spot welds 21 indicate the Welds along the adjacent, engaging sides of the sections 1, 2. Preferably the welds 21 are longer than'the welds 20 in direction longitudinally of the board. As an example the Welds 21 may be four times the length of the welds 20 or welds 20 may each be approximately one inch in length while each of the welds 21' may be approximately four inches in length.

As seen in FIG. 3 the strips are welded to the flanges along pairs of lines extending perpendicular, to each other:

of the welds 21, with the ends of the end pairs of lines commencing at the end corners of the board, and the pairs of other lines betwen said end pairs intersecting along the outer longitudinally extending edges of the board. 7

The ends of the board have end plates 23 extending over the ends of the sections 1,2 which plates preferably have smoothly curved surfaces 24 defining the vertical cross sectional contours of said plates'that face horizontally outwardly of the ends of the board.

By the above described structure, a board is provided that has all of the desired characteristicsearlier mentioned.

The springboard is hollow and cellular, in thatjthe spaces 7 between the adjacent webs and between the webs and sidewalls of the sections 1, 2 provide enclosed cells 26 extending longitudinally of the board from end to end thereof. 7

With extruded sections, such as described, variations in the desired board characteristics, since the strips 14, when welded to the flanges 8, become rigid with thelatter and extend longitudinally of the board from end to end thereof.

It is, of course, obvious that variations in the number of webs 7 and their thickness and depth affect the characteristics of the board. a

In general the springboard structure as described may be said to comprise upper and lower longitudinally extending plates integrally connected by parallel ribswith and centrally intersecting each other centrally-of one The fact that the lower plate or wall of the board is enables not only a greater economy in the making of the 'board, but, as already stated, diflerentzthicknesses of the said strips will result in variations in the characteristics of the board for meeting different conditions.

The board may be covered, at least on its upper and outer end surface with any slip-proof layer 25, such as sand filled paint.

Obviously changes may be made in the forms, arrangements of parts and dimensions, and the claims appended hereto are intended to cover such changes as may come within the scope thereof and within the spirit of the invention.

I claim: 7

1. A metal springboard comprising:

(a) an elongated, horizontally extending upper plate extending the length of said board;

(b) an elongated lower plate spaced below said upper plate in opposed relation thereto and in vertical registration therewith extending the length of said board;

(c) vertically disposed integral sidewalls integral with said upper and said lower plates along their corresponding longitudinally extending edges rigidly connecting said upper and said lower plates, cooperating with said upper and lower plates to provide the walls of an open ended tubular board;

7 (d) end plates secured'over said open ends of said board; 7

(e) vertically disposed, horizontally spaced, parallel integral websextending between said upper and lower plates each of which webs is integral with said upper and lower plates; 7 V

(f) the. thickness of each of said webs being substantially uniform and less than the thickness of said upper plate.

2, Ina combination as defined in claim 1:

(g) said lower plate including sections extending longitudinally thereof extending oppositely from the lower edge of each of said webs and of greater thickness than the thickness of each web.

3. In a combination as defined in claim 2:

(h) the portions of said lower plate" disposed between adjacent'sections on each adjacent pair of said webs being of less thickness than the thickness of said sections; and, V V a '(i) means integrally connecting said webs, sections and portions. 7 I

. 4. In a construction as defined in claim 2:

(h) the portions of said lower. plate disposed between webs being of less thickness than the thickness of said sections;

(i) ,means integrally connecting said webs, sections and portions; 7 V

(j) an upstanding rib along each juncture between each section and each portion and integral with each 'portion;

(k) each of said upstanding ribs terminating within the space between said upper plate and said lower plate and adjacentto the latter; w

5. Ametal springboard comprising: 7

(a) an elongated, horizontally extending upper plate extending thelength of said board;

(b) vertically disposed, horizontally extending, op-

posed integralside plates integral with and depending from said upperrplate along the longitudinal extending edges thereof;

(c) a'plurality of vertically disposed integral. Webs be- .low and integral with said upper plate extending the adjacent sections on each adjacent pair of said longitudinally of the latter from end to end thereof and horizontally spaced from each other;

(d) said webs and said side plates each having horizontally disposed laterally projecting, coplanar flanges integral therewith along their lower edges;

(e) the flanges on adajcent pairs of said webs and the flanges on said side plates and the webs adjacent thereto being spaced apart;

(7) horizontally disposed strips extending longitudinally of said webs and side plates from end to end thereof and positioned within the spaces between said flanges; and,

(g) means along the edges of said strips securing the latter in the said spaces between said flanges.

6. In a construction as defined in claim (it) said flanges and said strips being parallel with said upper plate;

(i) said means including upstanding ribs formed along the longitudinally extending edges of said strips formed with oppositely outwardly opening, longitudinally extending channels in which portions of said flanges are positioned.

7. In a construction as defined in claim 6:

(j) said upstanding ribs being resilient and formed with upwardly inclined upper surfaces extending convergently upwardly for engaging said flanges upon movement of said strips into said spaces between the latter for springing said ribs across said flanges to positions in which said flanges will snap into said channels.

8. In a construction as defined in claim 5 (h) said means comprising separate spaced welds connecting said strips with flanges along lines extending diagonally across said strips and flanges relative to the lengths of said strips and flanges.

9. A metal springboard comprising:

(a) a pair of horizontally elongated, horizontally disposed downwardly opening channel sections in parallel, side by side relation, each channel section having parallel, vertically disposed, sidewalls extending from end to end thereof and an upper horizontally disposed wall;

(b) each section of said pair having a plurality of corresponding parallel, longitudinally extending, horizontally spaced, opposed webs integral with the upper wall of each section and depending therefrom;

(0) lower horizontally extending strips disposed between the lower ends of said webs and between the lower ends of said sidewalls and the webs adjacent thereto;

(d) means connecting the said strips with said webs and sidewalls along the longitudinally extending edges of said strips;

(e) said means including horizonally disposed flanges respectively integral with said webs and sidewalls extending toward said strips;

(f) said channel sections being of corresponding shape and size, with one of their said sidewalls in face to face engagement along a center line equally spaced between the other two sidewalls of said sections;

(g) separate welds integrally connecting said strips with said flanges along lines extending diagonally across said sections and intersecting at points along said center line; and,

(h) welds integrally connecting said one of said sidewalls of said pair of sections at the points of intersection of said diagonally extending lines.

10. In a construction as defined in claim 9:

(i) said welds connecting said one of said sidewalls of said pair being longer longitudinally of said flanges than the other welds along said diagonally extending lines.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,779,911 10/30 Litle.

2,101,056 12/37 Frick 18934 X 2,747,871 5/56 Brandt et a1 27266 2,807,468 9/57 Patterson 27266 3,023,834 3/62 Buchanan.

3,039,575 6/62 Graham 189-34 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METAL SPRINGBOARD COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED, HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING UPPER PLATE EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF SAID BOARD; (B) AN ELONGATED LOWER PLATE SPACED BELOW SAID UPPER PLATE IN OPPOSED RELATION THERETO AND IN VERTICAL REGISTRATION THEREWITH EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF SAID BOARD; (C) VERTICALLY DISPOSED INTEGRAL SIDEWALLS INTEGRAL WITH SAID UPPER AND SAID LOWER PLATES ALONG THEIR CORRESPONDING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING EDGES RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID UPPER AND SAID LOWER PLATES, COOPERATTING WITH SAID UPPER AND LOWER PLATES TO PROVIDE THE WALLS OF AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR BOARD; (D) END PLATES SECURED OVER SAID OPEN ENDS OF SAID BOARD; (E) VERTICALLY DISPOSED, HORIZONTALLY SPACED, PARALLEL INTEGRAL WEBS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER PLATES EACH OF WHICH WEBS IS INTEGRAL WITH SAID UPPER AND LOWER PLATES; (F) THE THICKNESS OF EACH OF SAID WEBS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM AND LESS THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID UPPER PLATE. 